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Displaying default values when accepting input from user

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Top Forums Shell Programming and Scripting Displaying default values when accepting input from user
# 8  
Old 10-21-2010
I ran my test on SunOS Smilie
# 9  
Old 10-21-2010
It was implied that any code proceeding the prompt treats blank as Y, the question was more around getting the default to be visible on the screen.

A loop that traps illegal entries should probably also be used.

Code:
BACK="$(tput cub1)"
while true
do
    ans=y
    echo -e "Enter y to continue n to exit: $ans$BACK\c" ; read ans
    ans=${ans:=y}
    case $ans in
        [yY]|[Yy][Ee][Ss])  ans=y ; break;;
        [nN]|[Nn][Oo]) ans=n ; break ;;
        *) echo "Please answer y or n" ;;
    esac
done
echo "You answered: $ans"

Edit: Another thought (excersise for reader) is wrap it into a yorn function that prompts with default and sets return code, you can use it like this:

Code:
if yorn "Enter y to continue, n to exit" y
then
      echo "OK lets go on..."
else
      echo "bye bye"
      exit
fi
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